The First Tactician (A Fire Emblem Fates Fanfiction)
by Guardian Demon Of The Rose
Summary: The role of Tactician has gone through a cycle. The Tactician initially was never equipped with a sword and tome. Or so historians thought. In the great battle between Nohr and Hoshido, the role was birthed. However, it's practice was forgotten... until now.
1. Chapter 1

_The First Tactician (A Fire Emblem: Fates Fanfiction)_

 **Chapter 1: Awakening**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem. I own my OCs.**

"text": Dialogue

'text': Thought

 **~xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx~**

A young man woke up from a deep and relaxing sleep. He was laying flat on his back, in the middle of large plain. There seemed to be two sides at war, one with a blackened horserider and another with a red footsoldier. Both armies charged at each other, with the two generals leading the assault. On the outskirts of the clash, there were other soldiers. One side contained a mage on horseback, a cleric on horseback, and a dragon rider. The other had a bowman, a healer, a pegasus rider, and an oddly dressed woman wielding a sword.

Out of the corner of this man's eye, he could see more troops. 'At this point, I'm going to have to name the sides...' He dubbed the dark side the name 'Shadows' and the red side 'Stars'. The Shadows had a mage with a peculiar hat, a thief with a bow, a cleric with a tome on horseback, and a female axe wielder. The Stars side had a... ninja, a plated bow-woman, a man wielding an assortment of weapons, and a shaky villager with a spear. The mage seemed to be arguing with the ninja, and they suddenly broke out into combat. A stray arrow came at him...

 **~xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx~**

"GAH!" The man shot up from a bed. He looked around. The surroundings were unfamiliar. He was in a room that was barely lit, with almost no furniture. If he didn't know any better, this could've been a cell. He heard footsteps coming from the nearby hall. The man that had rushed in seemed like the mage on horseback from the Shadows side. "Gods, your scream had worried me." He lit a candle in the room. "Might I ask, why were you outside our fortress?"

"I'm sorry... outside your fortress? I don't recall ever seeing this place." He swung his legs off the bed. "Although... I have seen you before."

The man directed his attention to the stranger. "Oh? Please, do tell where you saw me."

"Well, I... huh. I don't exactly remember." He scratched his head. "I am sure I've seen you before. It's just... I have this feeling there's more to it."

"I'm sorry to say you're a threat to this territory. If you could explain yourself, that would be wonderful. That doesn't seem like an option, as you can't recall anything." The mage stood from his chair. "Can you at least tell me your name?"

He nodded. "Of course. My name is Shay. What might yours be?"

"I am Leo. Prince of Nohr." He put his hands behind his back, seeming to adjust his posture.

"F-Forgive me for addressing you so casually, Prince Leo." Shay stood up from the bed, brushing himself off.

Leo let a slight chuckle out. "Please. I don't like being refered to as a Prince." Examining the stranger's appearance, he opened the door to let him out of the room. "A question before you depart. What is your profession? Your clothes are very odd."

"Hm?" Shay looked at his attire. "Ah. I'm a tactician by trade. I can show you..." He looked around the room. "Where's my bag?"

"Your bag? Oh, the satchel you came in with." He pointed to the bed. "Right there, hanging off the banister."

Shay walked up and rummaged the bag. "Here we go." He procured a book from it. "It's filled with battle strategies. Do you take an interest in tactical combat?"

"Why, yes. I'm afraid this isn't the time for that. I suggest you leave at once." Leo directed out into the hall.

Shay sighed. "Perhaps another time." Grabbing his bag, he walked out into the fortress' halls. In was barren, just like his room, containing no sense of furniture or light. The entrance wasn't too far off from the room he was staying in, so it was an easy walk. He opened the door...

... and the bridge to the fort was crawling with bandits. "Oy! Give us a sum of gold and we might let you live."

The tactician backed into the hall. He called out to no one in particular. "There's bandits outside!" The sound of multiple footsteps could be heard from around the corner. It was Leo, the general from the Shadow- or Nohrian side, and the oddly dressed woman. "About fifteen of them."

"Gods! Why today?" The general grabbed the shoulder of the woman. "It seems your test will be a real battle, Corrin."

"Alright Xander, I won't dissapoint." She looked at the stranger. "Who might you be?"

Shay flinched. "I'm Shay, a tactician. A pleasure to meet you." He extended his hand, but quickly retracted it. "Maybe we should save introductions until after we deal with these ruffians."

The general nodded. "I agree. A little pest control is in order. Shall we?" He looked at Leo.

"Of course." He grabbed his tome, while opening the door.

 **(Battle Theme: Awakening- Prelude, Ablaze)**

Shay brushed the side of his satchel, and felt an object sticking out from it. "Hmm?" He dug into the bag to find a Thunder tome inside. "Ah."

Leo looked at the tactician. "You know magic?"

"I think? I don't know..." He closed his satchel, examining the field. "We could send a separate party to engage the archers and mercenaries while the other defeats the fighters." Shay looked at Corrin. "Can you fight?"

She nodded. "I sure can."

"Prince Leo and Xander should engage the archers while Corrin and I take on the axe wielders." The tactician suggested.

Leo nodded. "We'll have an advantage over them, brother." The mage looked to his older sibling.

"Very well." Xander grabbed his sword, which seemed to ooze a dark aura. "If we complete our objectives accordingly, this battle is won."

A bandit from the other side was having a loud conversation with what seemed to be the leader. "... but bossman Spek... these blokes seem like royals..." The boss struck the man down in an instant.

Spek shouted to his fellow bandits. "Let's show these guys what _real_ warriors look like!" As soon as he finished those words, a large portion of the bandits were defeated. The killer was a tactician wielding a tome. "Everyone! Target that tactician!"

Shay shot another thunderbolt into the enemy. "Well. This is easy." He didn't account for another fighter coming behind him. Luckily, Corrin was able to stop the ruffian's attack and kill him. "Corrin! Thank you, that would've been a nasty blow." The tactician looked at the lady, who was shaking. "Corrin? What's wrong?!" She didn't answer. "Gods... I'll protect you." He stood his ground, and shouted to the two Princes. "Lord Xander! Lord Leo! Change of plans, defeat the commander!" Shay grabbed the bronze sword from Corrin's hands. Also, it started to rain. It became harder to see the enemies.

Barely, he could see two axe-wielders charging him. He blocked the one and slipped past the other, then he cut one down. Quickly, she cut down the other. "How..." Corrin squeaked out. "How do you kill people... so easily?" She was still shaking like a leaf.

He flinched. "I-I don't..." Shay sighed. "It doesn't come to me at ease..." Hearing a fighter from behind, the tactician readied a block which came through. He managed to grunt out a response through blocking. "I... just think... how I-" Parrying, he cut down the foe. "-can save others by cutting down a foe."

Corrin was heavily breathing. "I... I want peace... for everyone..." She was shaking harder, now.

"Gods... at this point-" An enemy snuck up and struck him. "ARGH!" Shay fell down, hard, on his back.

"NO!" The princess shouted. She grabbed the blade from his hands and stabbed the foe, and charged forward. She managed to pierce two other brigands in the process before retracting the blade. Quickly, Corrin went to Shay's side. "A-Are... are you hurt?"

The tactician proped himself on the bridge's stone rails. "A little graze like that won't kill me..." He laughed. "I was just surprised. The rain concealed him well."

"Shay!" Shouted the Crown Prince. "We've taken care of the commander! The rest of the bandits have retreated."

"Thank the gods..." The princess said. "Here, give me your arm." She helped Shay up and put his arm around her. The tactician grunted in pain, as there was a cut across his chest. "Oh... that's bad."

Xander and Leo joined the pair. "Is he injured? Don't worry. Elise is here, she can surely heal him." Reassured the Crown Prince.

"You're going to be fine, okay?" Corrin said to Shay. There was no response. "Shay? Shay!" She moved a bit, and his head rolled back. Snores escaped his mouth. "Fast asleep, huh?"

Leo chuckled. "Funny. Not too long ago he was asleep. You would think he'd be wide awake now." The group laughed a bit, before heading back to the gates.

Shay smiled in his sleep, as if he could hear their conversation.

 **~xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx~**

 **A/N: It's done. A new chapter has opened up. To anyone who enjoyed** _ **Lineage Intertwined**_ **, forgive me. I thought the writing of it was very bland, and I hope to improve on it with this.**

 **Until next time!**

 **-Guardian Demon**


	2. Chapter 2

_The First Tactician (A Fire Emblem: Fates Fanfiction)_

 **Chapter 2: Cruel Fate**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem. I own my OCs.**

"text": Dialogue

'text': Thought

 **~xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx~**

The next morning, Shay was escorted outside the Northern Fortress.He was given a pack of vulneraries and a proper blade, an iron sword. Leo had personally walked him out to the border of the fort's defenses. "I am sorry your efforts didn't convince my brother." The prince sighed. "Your skills are truly amazing, though. I suggest you leave for now, and come back a bit later. I could attempt to convince my father that you would be valuable to our conquest."

Shay chuckled. "I will keep the offer in mind, Prince Leo." He shook hands with the young dark knight. "I thank you for your hospitality."

"Pay it no mind, Shay." Leo cracked a bit of a smile. "The royalty should help citizens once in a while, right?"

"I suppose so." Shay laughed. "Until we meet again." He walked across the bridge that led outside the fort.

 **~xxx~**

A young boy had struck a bandit with a sword. Another boy pierced one with a lance. The two turned around to see a woman on horseback approach. In unison, the boys spoke. "How did we do, mother?" The Strategist smiled.

"You did wonderfully, my children. I am proud of you both." She hopped off her steed and embraced the two. They smiled.

"We'll take care of the rest for you." One spoke. The other nodded. They went off into the forest, seeking more bandits to slay. The mother sighed.

Shay had gotten very far down the road. The dirt path led into a forest. In that forest, he noticed a woman next to a horse. Having nothing to do, he approached her. "Er, hello!" He waved as he was walking to her. She flinched and shot a burst of ice from a tome.

"O-Oh! I'm terribly sorry!" She laughed nervously. "I must have accidentally shot one off. Heh..." Shay stood guard.

"... Right. Anyways, what are you doing out in a forest?" He shook his head. "Ah, forgive me. I haven't even introduced myself. I'm Shay, a tactician."

The woman smiled. "My name is Elfira. I'm a strategist." She let out a chuckle. "Which is more of a troubadour with a tome than anything."

 **(Battle Theme: Awakening- Conquest)**

A childish scream came from within the forest. The pair looked towards the direction of the cry, where a man in a large suit of armor had grabbed one of the kids. He was struggling, when the general cut him down. A loud yell came from the other twin, as he struck the man. The armored beast laughed. "Please, such weapons will do nothing to me!" He pierced the boy with a lance. "A pity." The general shook the child off his weapon.

Elfira screamed at the sight of her kids, and fell off her horse. Shay went to her side. She had fainted. "There's no way I can take on all these enemies by myself..." He huffed, hiding the unconcious strategist. "But, I suppose I must." The tactician opened his Thunder tome. A few burly knights were approaching him. He scoffed. "Your armor may protect from physical strikes, but how does it fare against magic?" A large bolt of thunder shot from the book, knocking multiple knights out of the way. "Wow." That was all that could escape from his mouth. Shay had danced around the knights for a bit, defeating each one with magic. Then, reinforcements had been called. Wyvern riders, more specifically, Wyvern Lords. "What great timing." He unsheathed his iron blade. A couple of riders came in close to him, wielding lances. He couldn't block them and took a couple of hits, and holes pierced his side. "Damn... I'm done for..."

An arrow came flying past his side, going straight through one of the wyverns. Shay turned towards the arrow's direction. An adventurer and what seemed to be a mage were behind him. The mage was wearing a... peculiar hat. "You okay there?" The adventurer took out a staff.

"I think I'll live." He waved off the adventurer's offer, before facing the wyvern riders. "So... what are we doing about these guys?"

The adventurer drew back his bow, nocking an arrow. The mage pulled out a tome, it had a green gust like design. Shay gave him a quizzical look. "It's a tome that emits wind energy. Apparently it's effective against winged creatures." The mage answered. "It's extremely rare, too."

The tactician nodded. "Alright, let's do this." The bowman started their attack, taking down another rider. Muttering a series of words, the mage shot forth a brilliant hail of wind. It took out another rider. Shay advanced to take out a rider, countering it's attack and hitting a weak point. With the reinforcements taken care of, the trio made their way towards the murderous general. The tactician pointed his blade at the burly knight. "Justice will be swift, you monster."

The great knight laughed. "Justice? Who do you think you are, boy?" He kept a tight grip on the lance by his side. "You dare talk about Justice in front of me, Daren the Judge?!" The knight charged forward suddenly, which made his lance impale Shay's shoulder. Unable to attack, the tactician motioned for the mage to strike. He nodded, sending a large swipe of wind at the knight. It didn't seem to do much damage to him, but it released Shay from Daren's lance. "Damn you!"

The Judge swung his lance around to strike the mage, but he was shoved out of the way by the adventurer. He took a hit, flying back. Filled with rage, the mage gripped his tome tightly. He outstreched his palm, letting the magic gather all around him. Shay noticed this and did likewise with his thunder tome. A slight flash enveloped the mage for a moment. "Prepare for oblivion!" The mage yelled, letting the wind fly from his hands towards the knight. Daren took the force of the magic head on, yet he was still standing.

Seeing his chance to finish the battle, Shay gathered a bit more magic. A flash surrounded him, too. "I've outsmarted you!" He released the pent up energy of his thunder tome, which hit Daren dead on. The Judge fell from his horse, hitting the ground with a loud thud.

The mages fell to their knees, exhausted. "Gods... I'm surprised we didn't need another round of attacks." Taking off his hat, the mage showed off his blue hair. "Now's the time for introductions, I suppose. My name is Henek, and this is Valor." The adventurer smirked. "We're... retainers to royalty. Thanks the Gods we happened upon you at the right time, or else you could've died."

The tactician shook his head. "I don't want to imagine that..." He looked up at the pair. "You have my gratitude. My name is Shay. I'm a tactician by trade." Taking sips from a vulnerary, he stood up and clutched his shoulder.

"Damn, this guy's a giant." Valor said while approaching the body of The Judge. He crouched down to examine the armor. "How did you two even-" Before he could get another word out, a hand tightly grasped his neck.

Daren rose, choking the adventurer. "Your sentence..." He grasped him harder. "IS DEATH!" Valor's face was turning blue. The mages couldn't do anything, with Henek being exhausted and Shay injured, they were helpless. The adventurer was passing out, when a large bolt of thunder struck Daren in the head.

Henek turned around, spoting a strategist. "That's for my kids, you bastard." Elfira trotted up to them, dismounting. "Are you all hurt?" A spit of blood from Valor, a nod from Henek, and a groan of pain from Shay answered her question. After she healed them all, the two said their goodbyes and departed. That left Shay and Elfira alone.

"So... where are you off to?" The tactician tried to make conversation with the sullen healer. She stayed silent. He huffed. "Come with me." Shay offered a hand to her. "It's not very safe to travel alone. You could always have someone watch your back."

She slowly rose her head to gaze over him. "I..." A tear rolled down her cheek. "I couldn't protect them..." Elfira fell down, sobbing. Shay crouched to her level. She was crying into her hands. "I'm a... horrible mother..." Not knowing what to do, Shay slowly wrapped his arms around her, to give her a hug.

It was going to be a long journey.

 **~xxx~**

 **A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long. Hit a bit of a wall, but I'm back... I hope.**

 **-Guardian Demon**


End file.
